Spindle moistener mechanism



Oct. l0, 1950 J. D. RusT SPINDLE MoIsTENER MECHANISM l 2 Sheets-l-Shaet'1 Filed March 27, 1947 .H nlld Il lill i DI l MU W mi, 36 u R. E. n m

Oct. 10, 1950 J. D. RUST SPINDLE MoIsTENER MEcHAN-Ism 2 Sheets-Sheet 2Filed Kirch 27, 1947 WATER HESEHVOI R John Rm,

Patented Oct. 10, 1950 12 Claims.

My invention which relates to the art of cotton picking machines ingeneral and 'those of the Rust l type in particular has `for itsobjects:

l.. To provide a spindle moistener which will cure certaindeciencies'present in those meisteners heretofore used.

2. To provide a floating moistener composed of superposed'wheels havinginherent provisions for preventing misalignment oi the wheels.

3. To provide a moisi-.ener which will' not become clogged by cotton.

4. To provide an improved means for applying water to the periphery ofthe Wheel rings.

5,. To eliminate any rotating. shaft or roller journalled at the bottomofthe series of Wheels where the cotton waste is discharged.

6. To provide an improved liquid dispensing device for deliveringliquidy to the wheel-meistenng Sponse-V Other objects will in part beobvious and in part be pointed out hereinafter.

To the attainment of the aforesaid objects and ends, invention residesfurther in the novel details of construction,` combinations andarrangements of parts all o f which will rst be described in detail andthen be specifically pointed out in the appended claims, reference beinghadoto the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of the moistener wheel assembly, the stabilizingroller and the liquid applicator shown in their relation to the pickingspindles.

Fig. 2 is an elevation of the same looking in the direction of the arrowx.

Fig. 3 is a detail verticalsection on the line 3 3' of Fig. `l.

Fig. 4 is a magnified view in section of a portion of one wheel.

Fig. 5. is a similar View taken 180 from that of Fig. 4.

Fig. 6 is a schematic View of the complete device, parts being brokenaway and other parts being shown in section.

Fig. 7 is a detail elevation showing how the two sections of a wheel maybe spread apart slightly to take upwear on the spindle engaging edges ofthe wheels.

In the drawings in which like numerals indicate like parts in all thefigures, l; represents the chain of spindles which in practice arecarried in a direction from left `to right in Fig. 1 and dragged throughthe moistener between the wheels thereof.

The spindle moistener proper comprises a plurality ofI wheelscomposedxofwheel elements each having, an, inner rim 2. and a rim flange 3 and a iATENT QFFICE single spoke 4. Over the rim 2 of each wheel element ismolded Ia wiping vface 5 of rubber or other'suitable material (see Figs.3, 4 and 5). The spokes Ai of the wheel elements 2 lie at one side ofthe same and in planes normal to the axes of the wheel elements 2.

Except for the top and bottom parts, each wiper wheel is composed oi twoidentical wheel elements 2, 3, 4, 5 with the spokesin face to facecontact and. spot Welded or otherwise secured together as a unit as at6, Figs. l and 3. The rims of the wheel sections are inclined at about45 to the planes of the spokes i and iange 3 so that when a pair oiwheel elements are assembled together the inclined rims will present aV-shaped peripheral groove in which the rubber of the wiping face Ei inpart lies as best shown in Figs. 3, 4, and 5. The spokes Li are drilledto fit the bolt 7 on which the wheels are securely held by spacers 8,nuts 9 and a washer l. When nut El is drawn tight there will be spaces33 for the spindles l to be drawn through in frictional engagement withthe wheel. Y

An angle iron post l l carries brackets l2 having holes I3 which receiveshaft I which is journaled in stabilizing roller l5. Ilia is a strapiron Wing Welded to shaft l which prevents same fromY dropping throughthe holes 3 and from rotating. The vbrackets i2 are'located short of thetop and bottom levels of the wheel so that the correspondingly shortenedroller I5 will not become entangled with cotton on the oor of themachine, or be in a'position where cotton would wind up around thebottom of the roller which eventually. would ball up and force the ringsout of alignment. The angle iron post I I is suitably secured to theframe i6 of the machine.

il is a U-shaped elongated body which is welded or otherwise secured toa rod. or pin I8 which projects through` :openings (top and bottom)inthe frame I. To the body il is hinged a flat plate I9 between whichand a ap 22 of ducking, a column of sponge 2| is. held by clip lla. ThespringZll is secured to frame IS, the free end of the springrlyingagainst plate I 9 under slight tension to press the ducking against theperipheries 5 of the moistening wheels (see Figs. 1 and'l2). Y

By referring now more particularly to Fig. 6 it will be seen that liquidis conducted from a reservoir 3.! (carried by the cotton picking machinenot shown) through a pipe 32 to a regulating valve. The regulating valvecomprises a cup 2 hav-,inge threaded cap for the stem St which carries aplunger 29. A natural sponge 28 is 3 located in the inlet end of the cupand may be more or less compressed by the screw plunger 29, 30 as willbe more clearly explained presently. The cap 34 has an outlet 35 throughwhich liquid -gravitates over a lip 36 and drops onto a sponge strainer25, 26 in a (preferably) transparent container 24 which is positioned toact as a windshield for the small stream of liquid owing from outlet 35.

Liquid passes from container 24 through a pipe line 23 from which itdrips onto the sponge 2l.

The regulator valve 21, etc. is preferably located on the machine at aplace convenient for observation and adjustment by the operator. Theflow of liquid is regulated by the screw 30 acting on the piston or disc29 which compresses the sponge 28 to the degree necessary to permit onlythe desired flow of liquid to pass through. The advantage of thisarrangement is that the desired rate of fow can be maintainedindefinitely once the valve has been adjusted, because the accumulationof small particles of foreign matter on the sponge does not perceptiblyaffect the flow. By making the cup 24 of glass or other suitabletransparent material the operator may at all times be able to observethe flow of liquid.

Attention is called to the fact that the moistener of my presentinvention differs from that of my application Serial No. 691,781 ledAugust 20, 1946, now Patent No. 2,483,557 in that it has one spoke perWheel unit, which provides for a center mounting. With the arrangementof centerless rings, as shown in the above application, it was foundthat on occasion one or more of the rings would get out of alignment andcause Vdamage to the machinery. The principal cause for the dislocationof those rings was found to be the winding up of cotton around thebottom of the guide rollers which, as before intimated, would eventuallyball up and force the rings out of line. In order to overcome thisdiiculty and still avoid the difculties encountered with the older typeof two-spoke wheels which were journalled in bearings, I have utilizedthe desirable features of both and eliminated their objectional featuresin devising the present arrangement.

It is to be observed (see Figs. 2 and 3) the entire wheel assembly hasno center bearing but iloats freely in its working position as shown inFig. 1. The wheels are collectively rotated by the spindles passingbetween them as indicated by the arrow e in Fig. 1 and the forwardmotion of the assembly of wheels is prevented by the vertical roller l5.The entire wheel assembly is supported against vertical movement by thespindles I only and is held against horizontal movement by its contactwith the roller I5, the moistener (Il to 22 inclusive), and thespindles, making what may be called roughly a three-point contact.

As before pointed out, the wheels are made, preferably, in halves, bothmetal and rubber, which halves can be clamped back to back to form onecomplete wheel. The sheet metal spokes 4 may simply be clamped togetherface to face by the long bolt l or they may be spot welded, as at 6, ifdesired.

The reason for the divided wheels is to provide a simple and easy meansof compensating for the wear on the rubber by the a-ction of thespindles. When the rubber becomes worn too much to make proper contactwith the spindles, the wheel halves may be pried apart with a screwdriver or the like (see arrow Fig. 7) to compensate for the wear.

From the foregoing description taken in connection with the accompanyingdrawings it is thought the construction, operation and advantages of myinvention will be clear to those skilled in the art.

What I claim is:

1. In a spindle moistening apparatus wherein spindles are drawn throughspaces between rotary moistening rings, the improvement which comlcprises a rotary moisture applying device that includes a series ofsuperposed sheet metal wheels each wheel comprising two wheel elementseach having a rim and a spoke, the spoke lying in the plane of an edgeof the rim, said wheel elements l being situated with their spokes inface to face contact thereby disposing the same wheel elements in pairs,and means securing all said spokes rigidly together along the axis ofthe wheels with spindle passages between adjacent pairs of wheels, thewhole constituting a single unit.

2. `"In a spindle moistening apparatus wherein'.

spindles are drawn through spaces between rotary moistening rings, theimprovement which comprises a rotary moisture applying device that in-2.3 cludes a series of superposed sheet metal wheels: each wheelcomprising two wheel elements eachv having a rim and a spoke, the spokelying in the plane of an edge of the rim, said wheel elements; beingsituated with their spokes in face to face:

:lo Contact thereby disposing the same wheel ele-- ments in pairs, meanssecuring all said spokesy rigidly together along the axis of the wheelswith` spindle passages between adjacent pairs of wheels the wholeconstituting a single unit, and a rub ber covering over the rim of eachwheel.

3. In a spindle moistening apparatus whereinspindles are drawn throughspaces between rotary moistening rings, the improvement which.

comprises a rotary moisture applying device that spindle passagesbetween adjacent pairs of wheels',

the whole constituting a single unit, and an in tegrally formed rubbercovering over the rim of' each wheel.

4. In a spindle moistening apparatus wherei'n spindles are drawn throughspaces between ro tary moistening rings, the improvement whichl includesa series of superposed sheet metal" wheels-v each wheel comprising twowheel elements each having a rim and a spoke, the spoke lying in theplane of an edge of the rim, said wheel elements'| being situated withtheir spokes in face to face contact thereby disposing the same wheelelements in pairs, means securing all said spokes rigidly together alongthe axis of the wheels with spindle passages between adjacent pairs ofwheels, the whole constituting a single unit,'said securing meanscomprising a bolt and nut passing through said spokes, and spacers onsaid bolt between adjacent wheels.

5. In a spindle moistening apparatus wherein spindles are drawn throughspaces between rotary moistening rings, the improvement which includesan unmounted spindle moistening rotary element, means for supporting'said' rotary element from following the spindles to which it isapplied, and a combined moisture applying and comprises a rotarymoisture applying devicel that:

rotary element supporting device contacting the periphery of said rotaryelement at the aft side of the same.

6. In a spindle moistening apparatus wherein spindles are drawn throughspaces between rotary moistening rings, the improvement which Aincludesa free floating spindle moistening rotary element, means for restrainingsaid rotary ele ment from following the spindles to which it is applied,and a moisture applyingT device contacting the periphery of said rotaryelement at the ait side of the same, said moisture applying device beingpivotally mounted at top and bottom and in-cluding vertical 'hingedelements between which brous material is clamped, and means yieldinglypressing said brous material of said pivoted device against themoistening rings.

7. In a spindle moistening apparatus wherein spindles are drawn throughspaces between rotary moistening rin|gs the improvement which comprisesa spindle'supported rotary moisture applying device that includes aseries of superposed wheels, each having a rim and a spoke, meanssecuring said spokes rigidly together along the axes of the wheels withspindle passages between adjacent wheels and flexible covering over therim of each wheel, the whole constituting an unmounted unit, and meansfor restraining said moisture applying device from following along withsaid spindles.

8. In a spindle moistening apparatus wherein spindles are drawn throughspaces between ro-` tary moistening rings, the improvement whichcomprises a spindle supported rotary moisture applying device thatincludes a series of superposed wheels, each having a rim and a spoke,means securing said spokes rigidly together along the axes of the wheelswith spindle passages between adjacent wheelsY and flexible coveringover the rim of each wheel, the whole constituting an unmounted unit,and means'for restraining said moisture applying device from followingalong with said spindles and means for supporting said rotary moisteningdevice from following the spindles to which it is applied, said meansincluding a'stabilizing roller for contacting the periphery of saidrotary moistening device at the fore side of the same, said moistureapplying device being substantially longer axially than said roller.

9. In combination, a free floating rotary spindle moistener including aseries of superposed rings spaced apart for the passage of spindlesbetween adjacent rings and in contact with ther same, a stabilizingroller held against the peripheries of said rings at the foreside of thesame, and a roller moistening and rotary moistener positioning devicecontacting said rings at the aftside tact, and means spacing the severalwheels apart of the same, said stabilizing roller, said combined inaxial alignment and securing the set of wheels together as a unit, toprovide spindlev passages between the several wheels.

11. In a spindle moistening apparatus wherein spindles are drawn throughspaces between rotary moistening rings, the improvement which comprisesa moistener composed of end wheels and a set of intermediate wheelshaving a common axis, each intermediate wheel vcomprising two identicalwheel elements, each wheel element having a rim and an internal flangelocated at one edge of said rim and lying in a plane normal to saidaxis,said two wheel elements being secured together with their flanges inface to face contactand means spacing the several wheels apart in axialalignment and securing the set of wheels together as a unit, to providespindle passages between the several wheels.

. 12. In a spindle moistening apparatus, a rotary moistener composed ofa set of superposed wheels secured together as a unit and spaced apartto permit the spindles to be drawn through between said wheels, andmeans comprising the sole support for said unit, said means comprising aroller engaging the peripheries of said Wheels at the fore side of themoistener and an element contacting the peripheries of saidwheels at theback side of the moistener and said spindles, making athree-pointrcontact with the moistener.

` JOHN D. RUST.

REFERENCES CTED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS -Rust Sept. 20, 1949

